Kritik lectureAdriane & DCH

Why Critical Theory?

“Facts” are subjective—what we might accept as true might be held as false by others

Many public and policy disputes enter on differing views of “truth” “Truth” may not exist

What is “true” is defined by where you sit We may lack access to the real world

Sensory distortion Linguistic / representational mediation Cognitive limits

“Truth” is embedded within power/knowledge relations

Core concepts

Marxism

It is a method—focuses on Historicism (how we got to where we are) Materialism

Posits that labor and class relations explain socioeconomic order Foundational—much other critical theory is reactive / orients itself in relationship to

Marxism—function of the history of the development of critical theories

Radical / Deep Ecology

Argues that there is no meaningful distinction between humans and the rest of the world (rejects human/nature binary)

Argues that all beings are of equal worth, and that such value is intrinsic (rejects notion of use-value)

Is both deeply influenced by Heidegger and influences other “green” kritiks

Social ecology/Bookchin

Connect ecological problems to social problems Ecological crisis results from hierarchy and domination Examples?

Environmental destruction as a symptom Reverses anthro’s root cause claim: human on human domination causes

human domination of nature Critical of green consumerism/green capitalism Need to utilize ethics of complementarity

Humans as part of system Reject either/or

Is a red (Marxism) / green (deep ecology) encounter

Identity

Race & coloniality Middle Passage Racialized history of exploration and development—settler colonialism, Manifest

Destiny Gender

Ocean exploration/development as metaphor for masculinity/femininity Ecofeminism

Historical Connect domination of women with domination of nature Women have innate connection with nature

Contemporary Indigenous women’s movements

Identity [cont’d]

Queer ecologyQueer our relationship with/orientation to the ocean“erotic” engagement with the ocean

Critical Theory in Debate

Alts—what’s up with that? Competition and permutations Ks and other args—contradictions!?! Answering the K